Collapsible tube holder



' July 16, 1935,. E. J. MILLS 2,008,462

COLLAPSIBLE TUBE HOLDER Filed Feb. 25, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Invenfor July 16, 1935. E. J. MILLS 2,008,452

COLLAPSIBLE' TUBE HOLDER Filed Feb. 25, 1953 s Sheets-Shet 2 57 72652 JZWZZi f1 tlomey I I nvenfor July 16, 1935,,

E. J. MILLS GOLLAP S IBLE TUBE HOLDER Filed Feb.

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I Invenior Patented July 16, 1935 2,008,462 v P BLE 113 1 Bo he t I 'Ernest J. Kea 'n s b'urg, 1 I Application February/25, 1933, Serial fimesaissr My invention'relates generally to collapsible containers, such as collapsible tubes for containing tooth paste, shaving cream, and other viscous fluid, and particularly to holders of this type incorporating means for collapsing the tube so as to expel or dispense the contents as needed. f: I I, .l

- Animportant object of my invention isto'provide a holder of the type described which is not only simple and inexpensive in structure, but which holds and operates upon a collapsible tube in such a way as to evenly and smoothly effect and control the dispensing of the contentsof the tube as required.

i It is also an important object of my invention to provide a device of the character described above which has a novel arrangement and forme tion of parts which enables quickly and easily removing a discharged tubeand installing a fresh tube. a Y

Other objects'and advantages of my invention will be apparent froma reading of the following description in connection with the drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings:-- w I Figure 1 is a front elevational view of. the embodiment showing an undischargedjcollapsible tube installed-thereon. i i 3 Figure 2 is a side elevational view taken from the right of Figure 1. it

Figure3 is a side elevational view of the upper portion of the embodiment taken from the left in Figure 1. 1 r i w e :Figure 4 is a top plan view of Figure 1.

taken through Figure lat one side of the col lapsible tube. :5 Figure 6 is a horizontal-sectional view taken through the lower part of Figure land disclosing thetube neck holding means. Figure-.7 is aperspective view of a part of the tube neck holding means. 1 Figure 8 is a perspective viewof a portion of the roller tensioning means. I :1 Figure 9 is a top plan view of the swingable-tube neck closure. I

Figure 10 is a perspective viewjoi' a bracket member.

Referring in detail'to the drawings, wherein like numerals referto like parts, throughout the same, the numeral=5 refers generally toa verticalelon- "gated flatplate which forms the baseofthe embodiment'andhas rearwardly ofiset end portions 6, 1 provided with attaching meansreceiving open- 4 Claims? 01. 22 j j holders m by th'esecuring device l2v whereby the bight porings 8, 9 whereby the base may be secured to a wall-or the like. A reinforcing-bracket member III of L-shaped cross sectionhas an attaching means receiving opening H which is to be registered with the opening]; in the upper offset portion 6 so thatthesideslof thebracket member engageyand conform to ithe front', of the side of the ofiset portion-"6;for-reinforcing the offset portion 6.. M

Attached by a rivetor similar device I 2 passing I through theibase fi :near the 1 offset portion 6; is a U.-shaped bracket generally. designated I3 which is formedwofgflat material in theform indicated in Figural, and whose bight portion is traversed tion is secured to theifront face of the base 5 atthe place indicated. --.It is to be observed that a portion of the-bracket member Ill extends sufliciently forwardly'as indicated at l4 to'engage the upper edge of .the bight portion of the bracket I3 and thereby prevent rockingof'thebracket l3.

In eacho'f the arms of the bracket I3 is a horizontalslot l5 which "extends almost to the outer end of the arm. Below the outer end of each slot I5 is a small notch Iii-formed inthe lower edge of the arm. Slidablyand rotataloly mounted between the armsof the bracket I 3 is a hollow roller l1 having alongitudinal slot I 8 in one side for receiving the -chise'l end of the collapsible container l9. The roller-ll has a pin 20 at its left hand end whichis rotatable and slidable in the slot in the left hand arm of the bracket l3,'while akey member. 2| projects from the right hand end of the roller I1 and forms the right hand bearing .1 in the slot l 5 in the right hand arm of the bracket Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view l3. Thef'fingeripiecefl is, provided of suificient size to afiord the'necessaryleverage for easily rotatingthelroller ll forfsqueezing out the contents ofxthetube. 1' r.Similarlyrotatably and slidably supported by 40 the bracket- I3 and forwardly'of the'roller I1 is asolidroller 23 havingtheipins 24 working in the slots-l5; 1. :0 r

Means for pushing (the solid roller 23 rearwardlyagainst the roller l1 and pushing the roller I1 against therearendsofthe'slots l5 comprises helical springs .25, 26 which have their rear ends anchoredas indicated at 2 1;;28 to the outer sides oftherarms of the bracket l3, and have their front ends anchored in eyes'30 formed on the ends ofthe arms of a U-shaped rod 29 which has its long straight bightportion 3| removably inserted in'thenotcheslS in the lower edges of the arms .ofthebracket 31* The armsfof the, U-shaped rod :are: L-shaped and when therodis in position in the notches it, the L-shaped arms extend outside of and along the arms of the bracket l3 as particularly well shown in Figures 2 and 3. The foot portions 32 on the L-shaped arms have the eyes formed on their free'ends and to which the springs 25 and 26, respectively, are attached.

The foot portions bear forcibly against the pins.

24 of the idler roller 23 so as to push this roller rearwardly with sufficient force to produce the desired flattening of the tube as the tube is wound on the roller 11.

As the roller I1 is rotated by the key in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 2, the chiseli a end of the collapsible tube I!) will be drawn between the rollers so that the tube 'will'be com' pressed and the contents thereof squeezed con;;;;

trollably from the threaded neck 33 oflthe tube, The mechanism I provide'for cooperating with the discharge end of the collapsible tube f unctions-;

to preserve the vertical and lateral alignment of the tube at all times, so that anevencollapsing of the tube is assured as well as smooth action end of the tube i9 comprises a bracket generally designated 34 which includes a vertical plate 35 which slidably engages the front face of the base 5, portions of the outeredges of the plate 35 being bent around the edges or the base 5so as'to secure the bracket 34 siidably'onthe m 5; V Upward projections from the plate 7 35 indicated by the numerals 31 also engage the front face of-the base 5-and steady the-bracket 34 thereon;

V The horizontal forwardly projecting portion 38 of the bracket 34 is narrower than the plate 35 and has a longitudinal opening 39 formed inwardly from its front edge which-is formed with angular sides 4|], 4| forming the inner end thereof and constituting two adjacent sides of a hexagonal figure. To the rear'of the opening 33' a narrow longitudinal slot 42 extends from the rear end of the plate 38 toan intermediate portion thereof and acts as a guide for a sliding projection '43 rising from the rear edge of the sliding gate 44 and the gate has intermediate lts'ends the hexagonal hole'45 with whichthe opening 39 in the plate 38 cooperatesto clamp the discharge neck of the collapsible tube. I I Two opposite-sides of the gate have the edgesthereof'bent upwardly and'dver the side edges of the plate 38 as indicated bythe numerals 45 and .46 so as to connect the gateflsslidably with the'plate 38 A lug flis cut out between the ends of the portions 45, 43 and remains onbent so as to project laterally from the side edges of the gate 44. Contractilehelical springs 48 are stretched from the. front face-oi the plat/e35 as'indicated at'49 and thecorrespondinglug'fl so as to pull the gate -44 normally toward the base 5, so that the gate 44 will'be urged into clamping engagement with the neck 33 or the container I! So'as to grip the same between the edges or the opening of the plate 38 and the edges oithe open.- ing of the gate 44, the neck 83being placed through the opening 39 andthe hole 45,'the hexagonal sides'of whicha'ssist in firm gripping of the tube neck, The projection 43 on the gate :44 being engaged in the slot lz-mrthe plate 38 aids the portions 45, 46, in preserving the desired alignment and free Working of the plate 38 and the gate 44.

The lower edge of the plate 35 is slotted at spaced points as indicated at 50 to form a tongue which is rolled to form the barrel 5| for containing a pivot pin 52 the ends of which extend from the ends of the barrel 5| into ears 53 formed on one end of a swinging closure generally desige hated-:54.- I r "The, swinging closure 54 'comprisesa narrow plate which has the spaced ears 53 formed onone end and has the opposite end downwardly directed as indicated at 55 to provide a finger grip. Near theiront end of the closure 54 and extending from the top surface thereof is a cylindrical formation 56 whose upper edge is cut off at an angle as indicated at 51, whereby a cup is formed for rece ving the open end oi the tube neck 33 and closing the same, when engaged therewith. Means for holding the closure 54 engaged with the open end of the tube'neck 33 comprises a spring bracket '58 which is securedas indicated at 59 tothe front face of the plate-flat the left hand side of the closure as shown in Figure 1. This spring bracket has an oilset-portion 60 with which is adapted to engage a lug 6| projecting from the corresponding side of the-clos'ure, when'the closure is in them) ward tube neck closing position. -The" swinging closure 54'is releasable from the bracket58 simply by drawing downwardly on the closure" in an obvious manner. 1 s i pulling th'egate 44 forwardly torelease the tube neck 33, there is provided a'depending portionfil which isformed by bending downwardly a; portion or the front end of the gate as shown in FiguresZand'l; Y

As the tube IS'is wound upon the roller I1 and between the roller l1 and the idler roller 23, the bracket 34 will correspondingly slide upwardly on the bas'e5while preserving the initial alignment of the tube. This-is especially desirablewhen the tube is almost exhausted, as it enables expelling from the tube practically all of the contents thereof. The spring pressed arrangement-of the rol1ers l1, 23 properly coacts with the chisel end of the tube I9 50 that the tube 18 cannot pass betweenthe rollers and wind-on the rollersll without having been properly compressed by the rollers."" 7 s Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be definitely understood that Ido not desire to limit the application of the invention thereto,=and any change or changesmaybe made in the materials in the structure and arrangement o'fthe parts,

within the spirit of the invention and the scopeoi the subjoined claims. d

What is claimed is V 1'; A dispensing holder for a collapsible tube having a discharge neck,'said holder comprising a base a bracket on one end of said base,ia pair of rollers rotatably and slidably carriedby said bracket, spring means engaged with said bracket ing thereon, the first mentioned one of said roll- 1 ers beingarranged'to guide and compress said flat'end of'the tube onto said-remaining roller when said remaining roller is rotated in the tube 2,008,462 'winding direction for expelling the contents of the tube, and a slide bracket longitudinally slidable on said base for receiving and holding the discharge neck of the tube and arranged to slide along said base so as to guide the tube as the same is wound on said remaining roller.

2. A collapsible tube evacuator comprising a base, a bracket rigidly mounted an said base, first and second rotatable members slidably mounted on said base for movement in cooperative relation to each other and in a plane approximately at right angles to said base, spring means on said bracket yieldably urging said second rotatable member slidably toward the first rotatable member, said first rotatable member being manually rotatable and including means for connecting a collapsible container thereto for winding thereon, said second rotatable member being operated by said spring means to engage and squeeze said collapsible tube against said first rotatable member as said first'rotatable memher is manually rotated.

3. A collapsible tube holder and evacuator comprising a base having a lateral bracket thereon containing slot means extending in a plane approximately at right angles to the plane of the base, a pair of rollers rotatable and slidable toward and away from each other along said slot means, spring means engaging one of the rollers in a manner to urge the same away from one end of the slot means toward the opposite end of the slot means and the remaining roller, manual rotating means and collapsible tube end securing means on one of said rollers, the flat end of the collapsible tube being adapted to be secured by said securing means to the roller and wound thereon by operation of said manual rotating means in a position between said rollers so as to evacuate the contents of the tube from the opposite end thereof. 7

4. A collapsible tube holder andevacuator comprising a base having a lateral bracket thereon containing slot means extending in a plane approximately at right angles to the plane of the base, a pair of rollers rotatable and slidable to-' ward and away from each other along said slot means, spring means engaging one of the rollers in a manner to'urge the same away from one end of the slot means toward the opposite end of the slot means and the remaining roller, manual rotating means and collapsible tube end securing means on one of said rollers, the flat end of the collapsible tube being adapted to besecured by said securing means to the roller and wound thereon by operation of said manual rotating means in a position between said rollers so as to evacuate the contents of the tube from the opposite end thereof, and meansslidable on the base for holding said opposite end of the collapsible tube relative to said base.

ERNEST J. MILLS. 

